In The Beginning…

Morris Rosen, the founding shareholder, began the practice of law in 1947 with an office at 45 Broad Street, located in the heart of downtown Charleston. Thus began the firm that would later become Rosen Hagood.

MORRIS ROSEN (1919-2012)

Morris Rosen will always represent the unyielding legal and moral foundation that built Rosen Hagood.

Morris was a true Charleston native and gentleman. He was born here on October 21, 1919, grew up in the city, and graduated from the College of Charleston in 1942. After serving on a Coast Guard landing craft in the Pacific during World War II, Morris was discharged in October 1945 as a full lieutenant and returned home to finish his law degree at the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he was a member of the Society of Wig & Robe. He was admitted to the South Carolina Bar in 1947 and provided his clients with exceptional legal services throughout the ensuing seven decades.

Widely respected as a “lawyer’s lawyer,” Morris received myriad prestigious commendations during his long career, including the University of South Carolina School of Law 1994 Compleat Lawyer Award, the South Carolina Bar’s 1994 DuRant Distinguished Public Service Award, and the South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association’s 1999 Founders Award. He maintained the highest professional rating in the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory for over 35 years and was listed in The Best Lawyers in America. Morris was also a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and an Advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates. In 1997, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by the College of Charleston. The Charleston County Bar Association presented him with its highest honor, the James Louis Petigru Award, in 2011.

Morris served as Corporation Counsel for the City of Charleston from 1959 through 1975 and was a member of the South Carolina Board of Law Examiners from 1960 through 1975. He was the president of the South Carolina Municipal Attorneys Association in 1964 and of the South Carolina Bar from 1979 to 1980, thus setting a precedent of excellence and engagement in the South Carolina legal community that extends to the present.

Beyond the many achievements of his law career, Morris wielded an immense influence on the economic, political and social development of his beloved home city. According to his Post & Courier obituary, Morris’s “wise counsel during the turbulent 1960s…helped keep Charleston from joining the ranks of the stubborn resistors to integration in ways that too often resulted in bloodshed.”

At Rosen Hagood, we are forever honored and inspired by the professional and personal legacy of Morris Rosen, a model of Charleston–and American–citizenship.

During this turbulent period in Charleston, Morris worked with Mayor Gilliard to integrate the city’s golf courses, playgrounds, and swimming pools. In addition to his service to the City of Charleston, Morris Rosen’s work on several high profile murder trials in Charleston and Columbia also garnered significant attention.

1961

MORRIS ROSEN PLAYED KEY ROLE TO INTEGRATE THE CHARLESTON MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE, ONE OF THE FIRST TO BE INTEGRATED IN THE STATE

A federal suit was filed against the City of Charleston because some individuals were refused permission to play on the Charleston Municipal Golf Course. Morris, serving as the city’s corporation counsel, knew that the city couldn’t win. Despite the challenges, Morris worked with the Mayor to prepare the public for change and open the golf course to all citizens. (Source: Rosen’s legal genius, compassion a key legacy)

1979-1980

SOUTH CAROLINA BAR ELECTED MORRIS ROSEN PRESIDENT

Morris Rosen served as President of the South Carolina Bar, expanding his leadership in the state’s legal community beyond the boundaries of Charleston.

1982

NCAA v. Clemson University

Richard Rosen and Brew Hagood served as lead counsel at the 1982 administrative hearing in Chicago before the NCAA Committee on Infractions during which Clemson University defended itself against numerous allegations of misconduct in connection with athletic recruiting. The case resulted in sanctions for Clemson University, a result which was mild given the circumstances.

1985

Rosen, Rosen, & Hagood

Brew Hagood became partner, changing the firm name to Rosen, Rosen, & Hagood.

1992

134 Meeting Street

The firm relocated from its original office on Broad Street to 134 Meeting Street.

1994

Morris Rosen Received the South Carolina Bar’s Durant Distinguished Public Service Award

2002-2003

SC BAR ELECTED RICHARD ROSEN AS PRESIDENT

Richard Rosen served as President of the SC Bar, the second member of the firm to serve in this role.

2002

$1.75 Million Settlement for Brain Injured Cyclist

Richard Rosen acted as lead counsel in a personal injury case representing a New York City stockbroker who suffered a brain injury when his rented bicycle collapsed on Kiawah Island. The case resulted in a $1.75MM settlement just two days before trial. The settlement was the largest brain-damage award in South Carolina at that time.

2002

Morris Rosen Nominated as a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation

The American Bar Foundation Fellows is an honorary organization of practicing attorneys, judges, and law teachers whose professional, public, and private careers have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the welfare of their communities and to the highest principles of the legal profession. Only the top one-third of one percent in the legal profession is eligible for nomination as a Fellow.

2003

Charleston Attorneys Assisted 9/11 Victims

Through the Trial Lawyers Care program and the local chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, Richard Rosen signed up to get involved and help those in need during those trying times.

2003

$7.8 Million Jury Verdict Secured for Client in Sea Pines Lawsuit

Richard Rosen and Brew Hagood represented Tom DiVenere, a Florida-based entrepreneur, in a breach of contract dispute with Sea Pines Company of Hilton Head Island. The result was a $7.8MM jury verdict, in which the jury determined that Sea Pines was in breach of contract with Tom DiVenere for a deal to develop and build Tide Pointe, a senior assisted-living community on Hilton Head Island.

2004

Rosen Hagood Obtained $4 Million Settlement for Child with a Handicap

Rosen Hagood attorneys reached a $4 Million settlement with a local hospital and physician group. The claim involved catastrophic injuries caused by the failure to conduct an emergency cesarean delivery to a newborn child which resulted in cerebral palsy.

2005

Grosshuesch v. Cramer, 367 S.C. 1, 623 S.E.2d 833 (2005)

Richard Rosen and Andrew Gowdown represented an elderly couple and subsequently their guardian and personal representative in claims against a former caretaker who had manipulated the couple to obtain millions of dollars’ worth of real estate and personal property. The case resulted in a settlement in which several million dollars of real estate and some cash was returned to the firm’s clients. During the course of litigation, Rosen Hagood’s attorneys were able to obtain an injunction from the S.C. Supreme Court protecting and preserving their client’s assets. Opinion No. 26086

2010

$4.25 Million Jury Award for Clients in Malicious Prosecution Case

Richard Rosen and Andrew Gowdown represented a brother and sister from Hilton Head Island who were wrongfully arrested after relocating seven wild animals a neighbor was allegedly keeping as pets. Richard and Andrew successfully argued during five days of court testimony that the arrest, and subsequent harassment campaign launched by the neighbor, caused their clients severe emotional pain and suffering. The result was a $4.25MM jury award for their clients.

2010

Use of Cutting Edge Technology Lead to $3 Million Settlement for Client with Latent Brain Injury

Richard Rosen, Andrew Gowdown and Beth Palmer (along with Stephen Smith of the Brain Injury Law Center) represented a woman who suffered a closed-head injury, facial cuts, broken teeth and other injuries in a 2004 collision at a Florence intersection. This case may have been the first South Carolina brain-injury dispute involving diffusion tensor imaging, or DTI, a powerful type of magnetic resonance imaging that detects the disruption of water flow through the brain. To read the full SC Lawyers Weekly article, click here.

2011

MORRIS ROSEN ACCEPTED JAMES L. PETIGRU AWARD

Morris Rosen received the James L. Petigru Award by the Charleston County Bar Association at their annual holiday event. The award recognizes individuals who bring honor to the legal profession and is the highest recognition bestowed by the Charleston County Bar Association.

2012

The firm moved to its current office location

2013-2014

SOUTH CAROLINA BAR ELECTED ALICE PAYLOR PRESIDENT

In May 2013, Alice Paylor became the fourth female president of the South Carolina Bar and the third member of the firm to hold the position.

2014

Richard and Robert Rosen established the Morris D. Rosen Endowed Scholarship

Morris Rosen, who passed away in 2012, will continue shaping the lives of future lawyers. The scholarship provides the essential funds, making it possible for University of South Carolina law students to realize their dreams of becoming lawyers. “My father came from humble beginnings, but through his law degree, he was able to accomplish so much to better our city and our state,” said Richard Rosen. “Creating this scholarship in his memory is our opportunity to ‘pay it forward,’ and make it possible for others to follow in his footsteps.”

2015

TWO PROMINENT SOUTH CAROLINA BUSINESSES FOUND LIABLE FOR MILLIONS IN DAMAGES

Alice Paylor and Richard Rosen Represented The Beach Company in a Major Planning and Zoning Appeal against the City of Charleston

Alice Paylor and Richard Rosen successfully challenged the City of Charleston Board of Architectural Review’s attempt to “rezone” the Sergeant Jasper site in Charleston and to prevent its redevelopment.

2016-2017

ALEX CASH ELECTED TO SERVE AS PRESIDENT

Alex Cash served as President for the South Carolina Association of Justice

2018

Unveiling of Portrait of Morris Rosen

Painting of Morris Rosen was unveiled at the Charleston County Bar Association Annual Meeting. Honorable Joseph Mendelsohn and Honorable Irvin Condon spoke about Morris’s significant contributions to Charleston and the legal community.

Proudly serving businesses and individuals throughout South Carolina for more than 70 years.